My mother sent my daughter a birthday card for her 19th birthday. She mailed it from her local post office in Wall, N. J. on Friday, 11/6/09 as soon as they opened in the morning, on her way to work. The card was going to Saint Augustine, FL, hopefully in time for her 11/11 birthday. Well, it is now almost 3 weeks later, and still no birthday card. It was CLEARLY a birthday card... pink envelope, happy birthday sticker on the back, etc. and it contained not only $50 cash, but a $50 gift certificate to Michael's Arts and Crafts store.

On our end, we get our mail everyday directly from the mailman. My husband has a routine where he walks the dog when he hears the post truck pass on the other side of the street and meets our postman at the mailbox to get our mail. So I know it did not get stolen out of our mailbox.

What a shame that the USPS has a bunch of petty thieves working for them. They target mail that looks like it could contain cash or gift cards. And no one can be held accountable anywhere along the way, unless you pay extra for insuring or registering the mail. It is sorta like governmental racketeering - pay extra, or maybe it won't make it to your destination!

Of course, my mom - who is on a fixed income, is devastated and has complained and questioned the USPS in person, on the phone, and via the internet. But of course, there is nothing they can do, nobody wants to hear it, give it more time... One time I sent a card to my grandson and it didn't arrive until a month and a half later, it had been damaged in the machine! (that's what the USPS customer complaint person who finally called her back told her).

I guess the moral of the story is: DO NOT USE THE USPS IF YOU CAN AVOID IT. Pay your bills online. Send email correspondence or call the people you want to talk to, or pay their blackmailing fee if you really want the letter to get there. If you are really feeling like chancing it, take the extra time to completely disguise your letter and maybe you can fool the criminals that sort the mail into not stealing your stuff.

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Wrongfully seized express package

By Larry - 11/29/2012

Rating: 1/51

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- I recently moved to San Diego around a month ago and it has been hard to find work. Talking with friends from where I moved from they all decided to chip in and send me some cash. Along with the cash a good friend of mine included a motherboard and processor for my broke down computer. He sent both together in an express box thinking that would be the fastest and cheapest way to get me what I needed and in time. Leave it to the post office to seize the package claiming the money was intended to purchase medical marijuana. WHAT??

How they made this decision I am not certain. I have never even mailed an envelope from San Diego since I have been here. All the information on the box was accurate for both the sender and myself so no flags there. Still they seized the package and it has been two days now and no communication since. Both myself and my friend who mailed the package have tried to get a hold of the inspector. Left multiple voicemail messages; none of them returned.

I have already filed a complaint with the inspector general and am looking on the internet for anywhere else I can express my disgust. So apparently it seems to be legal for an employee of the postal service to just assume something and that is all that is required to seize your personal belongings.

It is not illegal to send any amount of cash through the post office as long as its intent is legal. Also the burden is on the post office to prove otherwise which so far they have not. In the meantime I am out the money and belongings sent in the package and every friend who contributed is also out their money and that is what angers me the most. My friends cared enough to get together and send me some cash to help me out and this is what they get for being kind.

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Constantly Harassed by Post Office Employee!

- 09/28/2011

I am frequent customer of your downtown location and one of your counter employees seems to have a major chip on her shoulder! I don't know her name but she's the only counter employee of a particular race. Nothing, I repeat nothing, ever meets her standards and she is not nice about it! A few months ago, I had my 3 year old with me. Next to the supply counter is a metal stand with tape and decorative mailing supplies. On this day, my daughter was walking to where I was in line and tripped on the corner of the display. This employee yells at my daughter to stop climbing on the display!

Yesterday, I was shipping something in a flat rate box and there was a slight bulge in the top of the box. Thanks to all the bubble wrap my husband used, the bulge was raised less than half an inch! I have been shipping and receiving packages via USPS priority mail for YEARS and I have been told by the postmaster himself that if it fits in the box and is under 70 lbs, they will act the package. The seals do not have to be flat. The same thing goes for flat rate envelopes. If the item fits in the envelope, it is acceptable. The envelope does not have to be flat.

And wouldn't you know, this darn employee gets made and says the box has to be flat! But yet, she still accepted my package. I having been doing this for years and I know she just has a chip on her shoulder. None of the employees at this location or the Davis branch ever have a problem with my packages. But today...today takes the cake and I have had it. I will not tolerate this woman any longer.

Today I went to ship a package, again in a flat rate box. This time, I made sure there were no bulges. I filled out the shipping label at home but didn't have a delivery confirmation label. It's 95 degrees today and I am 6 months pregnant. I walk inside, grab the DC label intending to write the addressee's name on it while I am in line. I get in line and reach into my bag for a pen and this damn woman, who is the only person working the counter today, yells at me to get out of the line because the DC label has to be filled out beforehand!

So I get out of line and go to the back counter and of course, I forgot my pen! And none of the pens at the counter will work and of course, this woman doesn't have a pen I can use! I left practically in tears and went home and had my husband take the package to another location to ship it! (And I won't get into how pissed my husband is at me right now because I didn't go to the location inside Nob Hill like he told me to.)

This woman really needs some customer service training or a new job! Every single I have dealt with her, she has been on a power trip and she comes off very abrasive! I am seriously considering filing a complaint against her because this is just getting ridiculous now!

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USPS Has really Let Me Down!

- 04/19/2011

USPS you've really let me down. Over the last few months, I've been singing praises about your priority mail service, namely how cost effective it is and fast delivery time. And until now, you've always come through and delivered my packages (whether I was the sender or receiver) safely and in a timely manner. And now it looks as though you have lost a package. I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.

I have had a few scares in the last few months where I would have a package out for delivery yet the mail would arrive sans any packages, and then a few hours later, the doorbell would ring and lo & behold, I would see the mail truck driving away and there was my package next to the mailbox! But not this time. My package was scanned as "Out for delivery" at 8:30 am YESTERDAY. I watched the mail lady delivery my mail and rushed out to get it as soon as she was done, but my package wasn't there and it wasn't delivered a few hours later.

I thought it would show up today but lo & behold, my husband caught the mail lady just as he was leaving for work and again, no package. I went to the post office to find out where the hell my package was and why it hasn't been delivered. And the only thing they could tell me is that they have to talk to the carrier when she returns. And that I should call tomorrow morning between 6-8 am before the carrier has left, to see if they've found my package, and to let them know if I want it delivered or to pick it up myself! I am beyond angry now. There is absolutely no excuse for this!

I don't understand how my package could be allowed to sit on a mail truck for 2 days now! It should be required, if it isn't already, that mail trucks are inspected upon return to make sure all of the day's mail has been delivered! I read somewhere that sometimes packages are delivered by another carrier and that's why they sometimes show up after the regular mail has been delivered. Well this is a small town, there is no way in hell it should take an extra day or 2 to deliver a package. The mail carrier screwed up royally and I can't even hold her accountable!

If I had my way, I would press charges for theft or at least negligence because the post office has determined that at one point or another, my package was on her truck! This really really sucks. I am glad that it's just an inexpensive eBay purchase ($30 shirt) that has been lost and not a check or a credit card. But now whenever I'm expecting a package and it doesn't show up with the regular mail, I'm going to worry that it too has been lost!!!! I will be filing a formal complaint against the letter carrier because there is no excuse for this! None whatsoever!

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Click-N-Ship: Painful!

By K. - 03/11/2013

Rating: 2/51

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA -- The USPS "Click-N-Ship" service is promoted as being easy and simple to use. It IS easy until you try printing out a label. This online service is an unfriendly user. After all the time I've spent online just trying to print a shipping label, I could have made a trip to the post office. They take all your shipping info (AND your money), and then, good luck trying to print out the label. I tried for two hours to get my label to print. I even switched browsers, and went in from different directions. Nothing helped! But wouldn't you know, they got my money right away, and I got NO shipping label.

Something else with Click-N-Ship happened a few months ago. I was just trying to get an estimate, and they charged me before I was given a chance to agree to anything. There was no "YES", no "Complete transaction", nothing to click on. It just went through and charged directly to my account. I had to wait weeks for a refund. The USPS website appears to be user-friendly, but is, in fact, just an unfriendly user. Difficult to navigate and it loops you into areas you don't want to be in. I now use FedEx and UPS as much as possible.

No wonder they're losing money! I feel sorry for the carriers, as they are overworked (I have a carrier friend), but much could be accomplished if they would only get their website straight. CALLING ALL GEEKS! Their site needs a SERIOUS makeover!

And here's one for a laugh: Three different times I have gone to the USPS website and tried to have my mail held while I was on vacation. The first time, even though there was a "resume" date, I had to contact the local post office and remind them to deliver my old mail; the second time, they completely lost ALL of my mail (they claimed I had not received any mail at all during that period); the third time, they ignored the online request and squashed 2-1/2 weeks of mail into my tiny mailbox.

When I called to ask about it, I was told I needed to go to the local post office to make sure they got the message!!! OK, so what is the point of online services if you have to go to the post office anyway??? I am SOOOOO disgusted with these guys.

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So Sick of the Post Office!

By GreenstarYT - 12/05/2011

Normally I sympathize with those of us with bad jobs. I myself had one until recently, and I'm sure you were all aware of that. I would assume working at the post office is one of those bottom of the barrel, worlds suckiest jobs. However, of all the places I shop/frequent, I have never had more issues with the workers than at the post office. Here is just one example...

I ship a LOT of items. Big items, small items, domestic and international items. It's all for Ebay. I print my own postage at home to save time so all I have to do at the post office is wait in line, and then get my items scanned in. My closest POs do not have a drop bin, you HAVE to wait in line to give them to someone. Until maybe a year ago you just handed them off and hoped they got to their destination.

At some point something changed and they added a scan in and printed receipt feature so when you drop off your items the worker scans in each piece and gives you a printed receipt. I LOVE this. I can ensure that each of my items gets an arrival scan, and makes me feel good showing my buyers on eBay that their item left my hands and on what day.

The PO right by my office has the worst workers. One actually answers her cell phone to take personal calls while helping customers. WTF is that about?! This has happened on more than one occasion, since I'm there everyday, I notice these things. It's not just emergencies, it's not just occasionally, it's practically everyday. Most of them do what they should and scan my items and hand me a receipt without question. One will ask whether or not I would like the receipt, but still scans the items. The one today, who I have never seen before, was not like the others.

I had more boxes then the window could hold, and as soon as I filled the window he began moving them out of the way. He saw I was still standing there and asked "Yes?" Baffled, I said I had more boxes to pile up, and began to do so. He again cleared them off to the side... and again seeing me still stand there he said "ANY MORE?!" With an audible anger. "No?" I said.

He gave me a bug eyed look and raised his hands up in that "then what" pose, to ask why I was still standing there. "I'd like my receipt?" His eyes sank and he began to grumpily scan all my items in and print my receipt. He then held it slightly out of my reach while reading it over. I held my hand up to receive it and he says "It's worthless, you can have it but IT'S WORTHLESS." WTF?! I scowled, grabbed my receipt and said "THANKS" and walked out.

Um #1 it's NOT worthless. #2 Why question WHY a customer wants their receipt? It signifies he scanned in all my items. #3, How come at every other post office I go to they just scan my items and give me a receipt without asking? That is apparently the standard, one that HE decided he doesn't want to follow. #4 THERE WAS ONE GUY BEHIND ME IN LINE and he actually let me ahead of him for God knows what reason. Human kindness?

Point being, I'm sick of going to the PO. These kind of things happen fairly regularly, and at several different locations. I could make them print postage and delivery confirmation for each and every piece but I try and make their lives easier by printing myself and THIS is the thanks I get? Geeze!

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No package arrived, but I received teasing phone call from PO

By nicki212 - 12/18/2010

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- This happened to me 3 times already. It always ended up with the same person to speak with by the end. I ordered something online and the sender always used tracking services. When I check on the USPS website, it always mysteriously showed that it's already been delivered. But weird enough I haven't seen any pink slip in the mailbox in my building nor it's ever made it to my doorstep. The regular mail is totally fine, only package seems like it's disappear from the radar for 1 week or 2 week, then a 2nd notice or even final notice pink slip would somehow appear in my mailbox again.

When it happened the 2nd time, I already suspected it's a work of my local postal driver who did this. Coz when I made a complaint online, the local postal worker would call me tell me the same thing "on the net, it shows it's delivered". I said "I never got it and I don't know how it can be showed delivered if I haven't gotten it YET!" Guess what? Few days later, they would call and tell me "OH! it's been sitting on the shelves all along!!" Then how the hell would it show "delivered on the net?" Fishy? Oh yeah. Someone might want to cheat salary out of making a non-existence delivery!

I've been trying to avoid using USPS ever since, but on the 3rd time I ordered a book using priority mail.. hello~~ I paid more than 1st class and 1 expect to get it with 3 days. That's what priority mail is. Isn't that what they advertise?????!?!?!? Guess what? My package is somehow also showed a delivered status on the net but no one in my family has ever seen that package. OK. So now the driver is pulling the same trick again.

I email USPS the complaint, I guess it's the local manager called me and insisted the package is delivered. And funny enough, he mimic a girly talk keep saying "where is my book? where is my book?" I was very angry at that jerk's attitude. Does he want to keep his job or what??? And he also sounds like I made a big deal out of nothing! I needed that book at my class that's why I paid priority mail. Now it doesn't show up. I have to order another one because of it.

The jerk keep insisting my family got the package. And he also imply that maybe they hide it from me after they got it! Come on. I am the only guy in my family who would have the gut to talk to English speaker, OK? I kept saying the package is not arrived! He then ask my family composition coz first he insisted the package is delivered to a TEENAGE boy. I told him there wasn't any boy in my family. Then he asked me "WHAT OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS DO I HAVE." WTF is that??? Why is it his business? So he can frame my parents next time? lol... I didn't know the USPS postal has to know my family composition in order to deliver a package.

The new book I ordered has arrived after 1 week, but I haven't received the missing package until 2 weeks after. That jerk called me again on the 2nd week. Explained to me "NICELY" that the book somehow NEVER got delivered, but was sitting on the shelf of the postal office for the last 2 weeks!!! I told him "You know what? I already bought another book. Why don't you ** keep it!! Jerk." then I hung up on him.

Wow.. I've never seen such attitude as being the #1 in a service business. First it's the constant mis-locate packages, then it's teasing / mocking, commenting on you haven't nothing else better to do then to make a big deal out of nothing attitude. At last, the package is always showed up and SOMEHOW always ENDED UP in the shelf at the post office waiting to be picked up.

That package was never opened, no tear, clean! So I'm pretty sure it was never set foot outside of the post office.
Then I've never use USPS to deliver package again coz I know THEY ARE HIDING MY PACKAGE. It's the Old Chelsea PO. The manager there is a guy. I believe he's black because he surely sound like one, especially when he's mocking me. I wonder why do post office keep him? To lose more business??

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The USPS refuses to accept a complaint

By Michael - 08/21/2009

22 years ago, I tried to complain about a USPS employee. 22 years later, I am still trying. I do not mean the USPS did not agree with me, as in I accused a letter carrier of stealing checks from my mail and the USPS said they found no evidence of it, I mean, there is no way to complain. No one will accept the complaint. The employee works for Operations Support, the USPS will not discuss Operations Support with me, but my own investigation suggests they are an internal department, and should not be contacting the public. This alone should be a red flag.

It all started when I asked the postmaster for the name and address of a business using a PO box that did not send me items I had paid for. The postmaster referred my letter to the Postal Inspectors for the area of the PO box. Next I get a letter from someone using a Regional Chief Postal Inspector letterhead stating she would contact the company for me, but could not get a refund. She signed it "Supervisor, Operations Support".

I think any normal human being would respond to a request for a PO box holders name and address in one of three ways, 1. release it. 2. refuse to release and explain why. and 3. refuse to release, explain and tell what I would need to do to get it released, such as sue. She refused to respond to repeated requests to explain why she would not release the information, or turn the matter over to her supervisor. I complained to the Regional Chief Inspector on the letterhead, 21 years ago and I am still waiting for him to respond.

The Chief Postal Inspector refused to speak to me for five years. He still, 17 years later, refuses to accept a complaint against the supervisor, instead insisting I find the owner of the company I dealt with. The Chief Postal Inspector interviewed the owner of the company many years after I first complained and told me the company was sold to an unknown man, and I should look for him. The Postmaster General refuses to speak to me. The Postal Board of Governors went into hiding after I contracted them. I cannot find any information on them any more.
My local Postal Inspectors released the form the PO box holder filed, it appears to be a fake form.

I have recently complained to the USPS website, only to be referred to either my local postmaster. I do not think he is going to hop into his car and drive two thousand miles to investigate a Regional Chief Inspector that outranks him and whose position, along with everyone else I dealt with, was eliminated after I dealt with them. Or to some nut who claimed he could not help me because it has been 22 years. I explained the USPS waited 22 years, not me. The USPS is responsible for the actions of their employees, their employees refused to investigate for 22 years, so now he has to investigate it.

He admitted if my mail carrier buried my mail in his backyard 22 years ago, the USPS would dig up the mail and deliver it, but he refused to explain why that was different from my complaint. The USPS refused to admit the employee in Operations Support even existed, until after she had retired. Apparently, USPS employees have it in the union contract that they cannot be investigated for crimes after they retire. No one one will explain what being retired has to do with it.

All I want to do is complain about the supervisor of Operations Support. I believe she set up a phony mail order company and impersonated a Postal Inspector. If they tell me she did her job according to policy, then all I want to do is complain about that policy. If I cannot have a PO box holder's name and address, just say so. The only reason why I can think of that this would take 22 years is, they know I am right, but it is easier to cover it up, then admit some janitor was able to walk into a Regional Chief Inspectors office and steal his letterhead, then set up and operate a phony mail order company.

The USPS should have a way to complain, a form to fill out, a supervisor to talk to. I have all of the letters documenting this posted online, if any of the " oh no, the USPS would never do that " crowd, would like to see them.
The what is "Operation Support " crowd, is also welcomed to read the letters .

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USPS: When The Machine Breaks Down, We Break Down

By kentonkd - 06/06/2009

OHIO -- The recent cutbacks at the U.S. post office, which included early retirement for experienced, dedicated postal carriers, has produced a new breed of carrier (well, at least in my postal district). Residents here in my district have had a very reliable carrier retire recently. He was a punctual carrier, always willing to make sure his clients receive their mail and packages (especially). Our particular little apartment community are walk in units situated in a small cluster, with mailboxes grouped in the middle of the complex outdoors.

Each of the mailboxes have numbers to each apartment unit, so even a child could figure out where to put mail if they wanted to. Inside each numbered mailbox slot are stickers with the names of the present tenant residing at that unit number to make mail delivery even more easier. Along with the individual mail slots there is a package 'box', or depository, whereby tenants are to receive small parcels or medium sized packages.

While that box's door is always open, it has a key in the keyhole where, when a package is to be delivered the package is placed inside the box by the carrier, who then takes the key out of the keyhole and places it into the appropriate recipient's mail slot so they may open the package box and take delivery. The key automatically remains in the keyhole for further use.

Sounds fairly simple huh? Not any more. Since our reliable carrier has retired we have had the misfortune of acquiring a new carrier. Although our new carrier has been on the job for 20 + odd years, she exhibits the type of behavior that any company calling themselves reliable should not retain. She has 'dumped' other peoples mail into the wrong boxes regardless of the unit number or name affixed. Can she read? She seems to drag mail out of her mail truck one at a time, which increases the amount of time she spends at each mail stand. Is she tired?

She refuses to deliver packages (of any size) to the recipients door (unlike our former carrier), and even refuses to use the package box, claiming the packages are 'too big', even though the deposit box is large enough. Instead she leaves notices where recipients either have to pick the packages up themselves at the local post office, or call and reschedule delivery (which does not make sense since she probably won't delivery the second time either). A fellow tenant asked her why she did not bring a package to her door, which is just a few yards from the mail stand. The carrier replied, "you expect me to carry that package to your door?" Is she lazy?

So, is this what the post office has come to, after cutbacks, lay offs, and 'saving money?' Get rid of all the good workers in favor of lazy, non-compliant workers? Makes one wonder if some mail is even being delivered at all (I've been expecting some parcels lately that seem to be taking a long time to arrive).Maybe the parcel was placed in the wrong box somewhere?

This blog, along with formal complaint has been sent to the USPS, and other places of interest. What's going to happen is, at least on my part, I will suspend having deliveries through the USPS, and opt for some other carrier instead, and connect via email whenever possible to avoid or limit postal services (something I've implemented anyway the past few years). Thus, the USPS will lose even more money, and not just from me, but many along this carrier's route (through further investigation I found the very same complaints from other apartment complexes along my area that this carrier 'handles').

Numerous complaints from tenants to the local office that the carrier works went unresolved, and in fact seemed to be shrugged off (as in 'yeah, whatever'). This kind of attitude signals a fast decline for any company, considering the current climate of things in this country. The USPS is a powerful entity, and dismissal of employees only occur when one of them kills someone. This whole business of 'dominating the market' in this type of service is over given the rise of technical outlets and email possibilities.

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Lies & Refusal To Deliver - USPS 4213 S PORT AVE, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

By Chris - 04/17/2009

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS -- I've had horrible experiences with the local post office at 4213 S PORT AVE, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78415-9998
(361) 855-6718. I'll explain in two situations which have happened in the last few months... Situation one... My family in Alaska sent me 3 large packages for the holidays and the mailman was driving by my house each day without knocking (I work from home). He also didn't leave a pink slip in my mailbox so I had no idea he was doing this until I called my family. They gave me the tracking number and it said he had tried delivery 3 times which was completely untrue.

The day after this I hear a vehicle loudly honking outside of my house. I go out on the porch and it's the mailman who quickly jumped out of his truck. He only had 2 of the 3 boxes. I asked him why he had been saying that he tried to deliver when he didn't and why he wasn't leaving my pink slips to let me know and his response was "I don't leave pink slips, I just scan the box and try again the next day". I then asked him how would I know he tried to deliver the package without a pink slip and he said nothing.

After finding this out, I called the post office and spoke to ** the manager and reported this. He said "He leaves pink slips" as if he knew that he was leaving them. When I told him that he wasn't and that he admitted it to me he sounded shocked. The end of the story was that I had to go to the post office to pick up my package. He also said that he understood and would talk to him to make sure that my packages were delivered from now on.

The lying about attempted delivery and not even notifying me a package was available would have led to all of my packages being sent back to Alaska. My family spent $100 to mail these items for the holidays for my two young daughters.

Situation two.. Next I order something online. Once again, I'm home all day and no one comes to deliver the package. I sign the pink slip and put a large note on it that says "I was here all day yesterday" and place it back in my box as it asks. 3-4 days go by and that package isn't delivered. Ironically 2 other packages are delivered to my home in the meantime. I called the post office and spoke with the manage ** again. I explained that this person lied and didn't try to delivery on Tuesday and was ignoring the pink slip in my mailbox. ** said "There's no way for us to deliver to all of the mobile homes."

I'm thinking "What? Isn't that what the post office does?" He also said they have been advised to not deliver the packages and just put pink slips into mailboxes so everyone has to come to the post office to pick up their packages. I then asked him why I inconsistently received packages from the post office and he said "I don't know, they must be people not usually on the route". When I asked him who advised him to say that they wouldn't deliver to our home he then said "I did". I then asked for his supervisor's name and he refused only saying "I'm the manager".

We are a one car family with 2 young girls (3 and 14) and going and picking up all of our mail that doesn't fit in our box is ridiculous. If this was an apartment that would be one thing (leaving it at the office) but it isn't. It's a large, mapped out mobile home community. It looks like this post office is just doing what they want because of laziness. The manager, ** told me that he would make sure that my packages would be delivered after the first situation and now he's making excuses saying they don't have to deliver here without providing any way to contact a supervisor above him.

I tried to call USPS to report this but all I could get was an hour of looping menus that won't let you talk to a person. When I found the postal inspectors site, it says to contact your local post office with a complain which I've done and gotten nowhere. If you could provide contact information to someone above ** and this one post office location, I would deeply appreciate it. Please help someone!